Computers (17)
Shirley49WVMason, West Virginia USA27 Threads 2,449 PostsFirst off I don't know much about computers. So here is my problem! My computer has starting making a noise I hear 4 beeps. Then it shuts down like it has lost it power. Could this be the power source or fan? And if so can someone like me that has never pulled the cover off one fix it?
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Shirley49WV: First off I don't know much about computers. So here is my problem! My computer has starting making a noise I hear 4 beeps. Then it shuts down like it has lost it power. Could this be the power source or fan? And if so can someone like me that has never pulled the cover off one fix it?
It sounds as if it is getting to hot, which is why it shuts itself down. Usually when this happens, it needs to be cleaned. Find a good computer person/place, and take it in for cleaning. Hope this helps!
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HzChld: It sounds as if it is getting to hot, which is why it shuts itself down. Usually when this happens, it needs to be cleaned. Find a good computer person/place, and take it in for cleaning. Hope this helps!
Thank you as well I'm sure that it could use a good cleaning. Dust and I have a bird in the same room as my computer
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Shirley49WV: Thank you as well I'm sure that it could use a good cleaning. Dust and I have a bird in the same room as my computer
My computer has done the same as what you have described. Since the fan runs constantly, it pretty much attracts the dust particles in the air...Should not be very expensive to have someone open it up and vac it out.
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Shirley49WV: First off I don't know much about computers. So here is my problem! My computer has starting making a noise I hear 4 beeps. Then it shuts down like it has lost it power. Could this be the power source or fan? And if so can someone like me that has never pulled the cover off one fix it?
Check out your manual on the computer. The 4 beeps are a code from the motherboard. Your manual should have an appendix telling you what those beeps mean exactly. Not something to ignore as its usually from your bios.
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HzChld: My computer has done the same as what you have described. Since the fan runs constantly, it pretty much attracts the dust particles in the air...Should not be very expensive to have someone open it up and vac it out.
Is that something I dare to do?
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woody636: Check out your manual on the computer. The 4 beeps are a code from the motherboard. Your manual should have an appendix telling you what those beeps mean exactly. Not something to ignore as its usually from your bios.
I think I may have thrown that away a month or so ago. Never had any problems and was trying to clean things up.Silly me I know.
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Shirley49WV: Is that something I dare to do?
Cleaning dust out is pretty easy to do, just unplug the power cable, remove the cover and use canned compressed air, not a vacuum or air compressor. The canned compressed air has the moisture removed, unlike air from a regular compressor. The vacumm cleaner may have static electricity, which is also very harmful.
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Shirley49WV: I think I may have thrown that away a month or so ago. Never had any problems and was trying to clean things up.
Silly me I know.
Silly me I know.
Okay, that happens. Check out the manufacturer's website. Most likely you can download the manual or access to read at least.
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woody636: Okay, that happens. Check out the manufacturer's website. Most likely you can download the manual or access to read at least.
Will give that a try Woody thanks.
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kidatheart: Cleaning dust out is pretty easy to do, just unplug the power cable, remove the cover and use canned compressed air, not a vacuum or air compressor. The canned compressed air has the moisture removed, unlike air from a regular compressor. The vacumm cleaner may have static electricity, which is also very harmful.
I agree with this, I also like to turn my computer off about 30 minutes prior to cleaning, that air comes out very cold and may damage hot parts.
PS: The canned air is available for a couple dollars at most stores that sell computers.
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AHAH! I have found some of my brethren!! 
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I checked some PC tech sites and they all say that 4 beeps indicates a system timer failure. I have to go to work now and can't give you anything more at the moment, but go to Google and type in "4 beeps pc" or "Vista 4 beeps" or something similar and you can see many posts about this indicator. Some do offer some troubleshooting assistance.
Good luck!
Good luck!
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Power On Self Test (POST) Beep codes by BIOS manufacturer
Listed below are the BEEP codes associated with the POST of several BIOS manufacturers. BEEP codes are generated PRIOR to the verification of the basic I/O functions required to display an error message/code on the display screen. BEEP codes are ALWAYS hardware related and not caused by software.
In order for the PC to display basic information on the screen the following functions need to be operational. If a failure occurs before the PC has determined that it can display information on the screen it announces the failure(s) via BEEP codes thru the PC speaker. This allows you to determine the basic failure symptom that cannot be displayed graphically.
1. Power supply must exit the power on state, detect PWR OK and release its reset signal.
2. CPU must exit the reset state and be able to execute instructions.
3. BIOS chip must be accessible for reading data.
4. BIOS checksum must be compared. (Valid data in BIOS)
5. CMOS must be accessible for reading data.
6. CMOS checksum must be compared. (Valid data in CMOS)
7. CPU must be able to access memory. (Memory controller, mem bus, mem module)
8. First 64KB of memory must be operational and able to read/write valid data to store POST code.
9. I/O bus must be accessible. (I/O controller)
10. I/O bus must be able to write/read data to the video subsystem. (graphics PCB)
1. Video system must be able to read from/write to the I/O bus.
2. Video RAM must be able to write to/read from video ram, valid data.
These operations are not necessarily performed in the order listed. Nor are they the only tests performed in POST but these basic functions must be performed to determine if the system is able to display error data on the screen during higher level tests before the system confirms that it can boot from the FDD/HDD.
NOTE!! The cache memory controller is generally enabled after the POST is complete. Cache memory problems are SELDOM if ever detected during the POST sequence
Listed below are the BEEP codes associated with the POST of several BIOS manufacturers. BEEP codes are generated PRIOR to the verification of the basic I/O functions required to display an error message/code on the display screen. BEEP codes are ALWAYS hardware related and not caused by software.
In order for the PC to display basic information on the screen the following functions need to be operational. If a failure occurs before the PC has determined that it can display information on the screen it announces the failure(s) via BEEP codes thru the PC speaker. This allows you to determine the basic failure symptom that cannot be displayed graphically.
1. Power supply must exit the power on state, detect PWR OK and release its reset signal.
2. CPU must exit the reset state and be able to execute instructions.
3. BIOS chip must be accessible for reading data.
4. BIOS checksum must be compared. (Valid data in BIOS)
5. CMOS must be accessible for reading data.
6. CMOS checksum must be compared. (Valid data in CMOS)
7. CPU must be able to access memory. (Memory controller, mem bus, mem module)
8. First 64KB of memory must be operational and able to read/write valid data to store POST code.
9. I/O bus must be accessible. (I/O controller)
10. I/O bus must be able to write/read data to the video subsystem. (graphics PCB)
1. Video system must be able to read from/write to the I/O bus.
2. Video RAM must be able to write to/read from video ram, valid data.
These operations are not necessarily performed in the order listed. Nor are they the only tests performed in POST but these basic functions must be performed to determine if the system is able to display error data on the screen during higher level tests before the system confirms that it can boot from the FDD/HDD.
NOTE!! The cache memory controller is generally enabled after the POST is complete. Cache memory problems are SELDOM if ever detected during the POST sequence
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Shirley, my sweet friend, it looks like you've gotten some sound advice here. Hope it helps ya sis!
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Thank you for all replies but some are so far over my head. I have done a look up but at this point I have found nothing. Will continue to check it out.
Thanks to all.
Thanks to all.
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jashcd: Power On Self Test (POST) Beep codes by BIOS manufacturer
Listed below are the BEEP codes associated with the POST of several BIOS manufacturers. BEEP codes are generated PRIOR to the verification of the basic I/O functions required to display an error message/code on the display screen. BEEP codes are ALWAYS hardware related and not caused by software.
In order for the PC to display basic information on the screen the following functions need to be operational. If a failure occurs before the PC has determined that it can display information on the screen it announces the failure(s) via BEEP codes thru the PC speaker. This allows you to determine the basic failure symptom that cannot be displayed graphically.
1. Power supply must exit the power on state, detect PWR OK and release its reset signal.
2. CPU must exit the reset state and be able to execute instructions.
3. BIOS chip must be accessible for reading data.
4. BIOS checksum must be compared. (Valid data in BIOS)
5. CMOS must be accessible for reading data.
6. CMOS checksum must be compared. (Valid data in CMOS)
7. CPU must be able to access memory. (Memory controller, mem bus, mem module)
8. First 64KB of memory must be operational and able to read/write valid data to store POST code.
9. I/O bus must be accessible. (I/O controller)
10. I/O bus must be able to write/read data to the video subsystem. (graphics PCB)
1. Video system must be able to read from/write to the I/O bus.
2. Video RAM must be able to write to/read from video ram, valid data.
These operations are not necessarily performed in the order listed. Nor are they the only tests performed in POST but these basic functions must be performed to determine if the system is able to display error data on the screen during higher level tests before the system confirms that it can boot from the FDD/HDD.
NOTE!! The cache memory controller is generally enabled after the POST is complete. Cache memory problems are SELDOM if ever detected during the POST sequence
Listed below are the BEEP codes associated with the POST of several BIOS manufacturers. BEEP codes are generated PRIOR to the verification of the basic I/O functions required to display an error message/code on the display screen. BEEP codes are ALWAYS hardware related and not caused by software.
In order for the PC to display basic information on the screen the following functions need to be operational. If a failure occurs before the PC has determined that it can display information on the screen it announces the failure(s) via BEEP codes thru the PC speaker. This allows you to determine the basic failure symptom that cannot be displayed graphically.
1. Power supply must exit the power on state, detect PWR OK and release its reset signal.
2. CPU must exit the reset state and be able to execute instructions.
3. BIOS chip must be accessible for reading data.
4. BIOS checksum must be compared. (Valid data in BIOS)
5. CMOS must be accessible for reading data.
6. CMOS checksum must be compared. (Valid data in CMOS)
7. CPU must be able to access memory. (Memory controller, mem bus, mem module)
8. First 64KB of memory must be operational and able to read/write valid data to store POST code.
9. I/O bus must be accessible. (I/O controller)
10. I/O bus must be able to write/read data to the video subsystem. (graphics PCB)
1. Video system must be able to read from/write to the I/O bus.
2. Video RAM must be able to write to/read from video ram, valid data.
These operations are not necessarily performed in the order listed. Nor are they the only tests performed in POST but these basic functions must be performed to determine if the system is able to display error data on the screen during higher level tests before the system confirms that it can boot from the FDD/HDD.
NOTE!! The cache memory controller is generally enabled after the POST is complete. Cache memory problems are SELDOM if ever detected during the POST sequence
Say what
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